Long Island Educators Critical of Governor Paterson’s Plan to Hike Tuition in Mid Year for Community Colleges
 
(Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) The battle over New York State’s 2009-2010 Budget continues for Long Island educators, as Governor David Paterson has recommended that the Legislature slash current state aid to New York State’s community colleges by $15 million.  This will mean that students attending Nassau Community College and Suffolk Community College may receive an invoice for additional tuition.  According to Jeff Rozran, Board Member of NYSUT (New York State United Teachers) and member of the Long Island President’s Council, “If students do not pay the increased tuition, or if they cannot afford to pay it, they may be treated as if they never paid their tuition at all and denied credit for courses they have already begun.”
 
 The Long Island Presidents’ Council, comprised of many of the Long Island Teacher Union Presidents from k-12 believes that this is the wrong approach to balancing this year’s state budget.  “Instead of breaking the contract these institutions have with their students, New York should wait to see the impact of the federal stimulus package currently being negotiated in Washington,” said Rozran.  It is expected that New York State could receive as much as $5 billion which could provide the assistance needed to close New York’s budget gap, which has been estimated at $12 billion.  The Council urges the public to inform state legislators that they must honor their commitment to those attending our Community Colleges by refusing to raise tuition in the middle of a semester.
 
“Our state legislators must take a critical look at the Governor’s education proposals, which will clearly have a devastating impact upon students and schools on Long Island,” expressed Rozran.  “Reducing state aid to education in the middle of the year is simply the wrong thing to do when so many school districts have already been making necessary cuts as a result of projected reductions in the coming year, and students and families are already struggling with tuition costs at our local community colleges,” he added.
 
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